Floridahabitat.org

Wildlife Habitat Planning Strategies, Design Features and Best Management Practices

for Florida Communities and Landowners

Complete Wildlife Manual (large pdf file for download)

Chapter 2 - Community Wildlife and Habitat Conservation Framework and Principles
Chapter 3 - Envisioning and Planning Wildlife Friendly Communities
Chapter 4 - Data and Analyses Development
Chapter 5 - The Florida-Wildlife Friendly Toolbox
Chapter 6 - An Implementation Toolbox for Green Infrastructure
Chapter 7 - Management and Design Factors
Chapter 8 - Planning for Transportation Facilities and Wildlife
Chapter 9 - Planning Wildlife Friendly Golf Courses in Florida
Chapter 10 - Habitat Conservation and Restoration in the  Rural Areas
Appendix I - Sample Goals, Objectives & Policies for Plans
Appendix II - References

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• FWC's Florida Wildlife Conservation Guide - The Guide offers users of any professional level a compendium of guidance and reference materials related to wildlife, land use planning and conservation. Private landowners have information about various programs available including incentive-based mitigation programs which may be financially rewarding. Developers or environmental consultants will be able to access species-specific survey protocols, habitat management practices, and guidance on wildlife-friendly site design options. Local government staff members will be able to identify wildlife-related protection recommendations or understand what FWC and USFWS expects from applicants in terms of wildlife or habitat mitigation.

• A presentation for smaller local/environmental groups
• Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT) as a Long-term Conservation Tool (SUMMER 2011)
  

• Florida’s Evolving Large-Scale Ecological Greenways System

For decades, a largely held belief was that the establishment of “islands” of national parks, wildlife refuges and other public lands was enough to ensure the survival of North America’s bountiful wildlife. But far ranging animals such as Florida panthers and black bears don’t necessarily check their movements at park or refuge boundaries, a fact that is also true for many animal and plant species with smaller more compact ranges. Thus, in the 1930s and 1940s, the idea of connecting large conservation areas with wildlife movement corridors first emerged.

….Instead of having a species’ range reduced to isolated habitat islands, conservation lands would once again be part of connected ecological systems, especially after restoration plans were implemented on lands degraded by past human activities such as fire suppression and degraded ground and surface water hydrology. Read the more inpepth article at:

• Florida’s Working Landscapes -Will They Be Around In The Future? Evolving Tools Can Assist In Their Conservation (January 2011)

In January, the Obama administration proposed $700 million proposal to protect Everglades headwater areas north of Lake Okeechobee (see: Salazar Announces Initiative to Conserve Working Lands and Wildlife Habitat in the Everglades Headwaters). The vision includes a proposal for a new 150,000-acre refuge, the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area. Secretary of Interior, Ken Salazar said, “We will take multiple approaches to land protection, including conservation easements, leases, land-owner assistance grants and agreements and core protected areas. We are conducting a preliminary study effort with federal, state, Tribal and local governments and non-governmental organizations, land owners and the public.” … "The partnerships being formed would protect and improve water quality north of Lake Okeechobee, restore wetlands and connect existing conservation lands and important wildlife corridors to support the greater Everglades restoration effort."

As noted, in addition to direct acquisition of land to form the refuge a variety of other tools are being explored which will help to support and maintain private working lands in the basin. 1000 Friends of Florida has just completed an article that describes many of these tools, their development and use to date in Florida and some suggestions for additional development. The article is entitled, “Florida’s Working Landscapes -Will They Be Around In The Future? Evolving Tools Can Assist In Their Conservation” and can be viewed and downloaded from our web site at: www.1000fof.org. In our next issue of Foresight there will be an abbreviated version of the article. Please take time to check out this information.